Engine Driven Welder/Generators Reduce Fuel Use
Trailblazer systems from Miller Electric provide a smaller and lighter footprint for ease of mobility and more space on work trucks used in general construction, structural steel, maintenance and repair, mobile fabrication, and farm and ranch applications.
Posted: November 28, 2012
In traditional welder/generators, the machine immediately ramps up to 3,600 rpm when a generator load is applied. With Excel power, users get 2,400 watts of pure 120-volt, 60-hertz generator power (completely separate from the machine’s standard generator power).
This provides powerful and clean generator power, and allows users to run tools and low-amperage welding arcs simultaneously at idle speed.
EFI optimizes the air/fuel ratio for reduced fuel consumption, longer runtimes, fewer emissions and superior performance compared to carbureted models.
This provides more reliable starting performance in cold climates, requires no choke, and is less prone to fuel deterioration due to infrequent use.
When added together, these technologies allow for runtimes up to approximately 19.5 hours on a single 12 gal tank of gas, and annual fuel savings up to $1,600 (based on typical usage: 150 amps welding 40 percent of the time; 20 amps generator power 30 percent of the time; and idling without load 30 percent of the time).
“I can run this machine about 20 hours on one tank of gas,” said Chad Hummel, the superintendent of Coastal Steel. “I believe it’s about 30 to 40 percent better on gas than other machines. You might get 12 hours out of (other machines), but they either run on low idle or high idle — it’s all the way or nothing.”
STRONG MULTIPROCESS WELDING CAPABILITIES AND GENERATOR POWER
The new Trailblazer series welder/generators provide excellent Stick, MIG, Flux-Cored and DC TIG welding performance. The machine offers excellent carbon arc gouging performance, and the generator is able to power Spectrum® plasma cutters for additional cutting and gouging flexibility.
The new Trailblazers also feature Wave Filter technology and a 10 deg skewed motor that provides extremely “clean” generator power for running jobsite tools with sensitive electronics such as plastic fusion welders, bore welders and appliances.
Each Trailblazer welder/generator has also been fully optimized for truck integration. The shorter and lighter design (up to 5 in shorter and 108 lb lighter) allows more room for other tools and equipment, and reduces the wear and strain of a heavier machine on the truck’s chassis.
Daily maintenance has also been made easier with front panel displays to help users keep track of service intervals, as well as the intuitive placement of service points.
Each machine is tested and rated for use at 104 deg F, making it suitable for work in all climates and conditions.
The Trailblazer 275 and Trailblazer 325 offer 275 amps and 325 amps of welding power at 100 percent duty cycle, respectively, in all welding processes, as well as 12,000 watts peak/10,500 watts continuous generator power.
The new Trailblazer models represent an improvement in arc quality and offer new features designed to improve total weld quality and performance:
- Three Stick welding modes: xx18, xx10 and Gouge
- Two wire modes: Solid and Flux-Cored
- Three TIG modes: Auto-Stop™, Auto-Crater™ and Pulse
- Pulsed TIG mode ideal for out-of-position welding thin metals where a lower amount of heat is desired
- Infinite arc control in Stick and solid wire modes for easier fine-tuning
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding products and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW; Glenview, IL). www.MillerWelds.com
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